The present invention relates generally to a respiratory protection device and particularly to a multi-purpose highly portable respiratory protection device.
Each year, thousands of lives are lost and many more thousands of individuals are injured from fires. Most of the deaths and injuries are from the effects of the smoke and toxic gases which are produced in the fires. The toxicity of gases in fires is constantly increasing due to the ever increasing use of plastic materials in our modern society. Most fire casualties occur one or two at a time, generally from residential fires. Occasionally, large numbers of people perish from fires in hotels, nursing homes, apartment complexes, and airlines. In many cases, particularly aircraft fires, people are usually killed by poisonous fumes in the initial stages of the fire before there is a substantial heat buildup. Contrary to what is generally believed, very few people die in bed but rather are overcome while trying to escape the fire. In most cases, the victims are unable to reach a source of uncontaminated air in time to survive or to escape injury. Those who do survive can be left with lung damage or the threat of possible long-term health effects resulting from inhalation of toxic combustion products.
The smoke from a fire presents three hazards. First, there is a thermal heating effect. Secondly, the smoke contains a large amount of choking particulate matter. The third hazard is the lethal concentration of several toxic gases in the smoke.
The thermal heating effect is a relatively minor problem in areas that are not actually burning. The choking particulate matter can be filtered with conventional filter paper material or clothing. The toxic gas hazard is the most serious since the victim in a fire has nothing at his/her immediate disposal which will afford protection against toxic gases.
Inhalation of carbon monoxide is considered to be the principle cause of death in fires. However, other products of combustion such as hydrogen cyanide, hydrogen chloride, and other acid gases affect the fire victim's mental capacity and causes confusion. This confusion reduces the likelihood of escape. For example, hydrogen chloride forms hydrochloric acid in the mucus membranes of the respiratory tract, thereby causing laryngitis, glottal edema, bronchitis, pulmonary edema, and death. This gas is a powerful lachrymator which also inhibits escape from a fire
In addition to fires, there are other nonfire emergencies which threaten the persons respiration. Examples of such emergencies are a chemical spill, or chemical or biological warfare attack. In all of these situations, the basic problem is to survive for the several minutes that it takes to be rescued or to escape from the contaminated area to a clean area.
Respiratory protection devices have been utilized for a long time. Very sophisticated respiratory protection apparatus is now currently being used by the military, in industry, and in the fire service. Some of the breathing apparatus is self-contained and uses bottled air or oxygen. Filter-type gas masks are also used by the military and in some civilian applications. Military and civilian filter-type gas masks containing ASC Whetlerite have been found to be extremely effective. These devices are designed to protect the individual against smoke and vapors for hours. However, they are used only for those situations where an individual knowingly or expectingly encounters a situation in which he/she will be subjected to dangerous vapors, gases, or smoke. For example, military personnel are issued gas masks in certain training or combat situations. Firefighters are issued gas masks or self-contained breathing apparatus and have them at their disposal at the scene of a fire. Unfortunately, because of the cost and bulk of SCBA Equipment and gas masks, they are not universally available to everyone at every time. Even if the individual had the foresight and could afford some of the sophisticated respiratory protection equipment which is now available, it would be impractical to have this equipment in his/her position at all times.
In recent years, a number of simpler devices have been developed and marketed that attempt to provide the general public with a degree of protection in the event that they are exposed to a fire situation. These devices are designed to provide the individual with safe breathing air and thereby provide time for the individual to escape to a safe environment. These devices range from an expensive unit which utilizes a pressurized cylinder of oxygen to a simple bag to entrap "safe" air. The air filled bag is thrown over the head and shoulders and worn as a hood during escape from the fire. Other simple devices have been developed for filtering out toxic materials and these have been found to be essentially useless. Except for cylinder oxygen, none of the prior art devices protect against CO. None of the filter-type devices provide complete protection against the hazardous airborne materials which are most likely to be encountered in emergency situations. For example, some devices are effective in filtering out smoke particulates but not toxic gases. Other devices utilize a charcoal filter for removing some heavy products of combustion but not others, such as carbon monoxide which is one of the main killers from a fire. These and other difficulties experienced with the prior art devices have been obviated by the present invention.
It is, therefore, a principle object of the invention to provide a small portable respiratory protection device which is effective in providing protection against airborne toxic material, particularly CO.
Another important object of the invention is the provision of a portable respiratory device which provides protection against CO and also provides a heat sink against hot gases including the heat from oxidation of CO.
Another object of this invention is the provision of a portable respiratory protection device which provides protection from contaminated air which includes particulates and toxic gases.
A further object of the present-invention is the provision of a portable respiratory protection device which provides universal protection for different types of emergency situations involving contaminated air.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a respiratory protection device that includes different filter materials which are arranged so that the effectiveness of the individual components of the filter are enhanced.
A still further object of the invention is the provision of a respiratory protection device which is simple in construction, which is inexpensive to manufacture and which is extremely easy to use.
With these and other objects in view, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention resides in the combination of parts set forth in the specification and covered by the claims appended hereto.